News & Events

This "Small Talk" Breakfast event is the perfect opportunity for larger brands that market to smaller business (SMB) to hear what their peers are doing in this space. The brief 2-hour session is the only event in Canada that focuses on how to better engage SMBs. Large brands see the huge opportunity small businesses present given SMBs make up over 95% of Canadian businesses today.

Hear from the Mercedes-Benz Canada how they repositioned a historically perceived luxury brand to connect with a practically-driven SMB buyer. And do this through a retail network that lacked the experience to find, connect with and sell to SMBs.

Learn that there are differences between an entrepreneur and a small business owner. The Cargo Agency will share their latest research on the differences and why it’s important for marketers trying to engage each SMB segment. Copies of the latest "B-side Study" will be provided to all attendees.

Interact with a panel of Canada's leading marketers as they discuss and answer questions regarding the current challenges and opportunities for marketing to SMBs. Also hear each marketer’s unique view and approach on how they best connect with and influence SMBs.

Be the first to hear the results of new LoyaltyOne research into Beacon technology – along with an AIR MILES case study that will help you appreciate the benefits of the using the technology.

In Canada, few companies have adopted beacon technology. Prior to our research, little has been done to understand customers' preferences for receiving location-based notifications (e.g., beacon-triggered messages) and retailers' readiness to embrace the technology. Our study brings together what today's retailers are doing with location-based technologies, both within Canada and internationally and it examines Canadian customers' awareness, knowledge and acceptance of beacon technologies.

Join us for this new loyalty marketing strategy course, where you’ll discover what it takes to foster loyal customers, reduce attrition, and improve profitability. Immerse yourself in a fun and interactive gaming environment and see how your decisions compare to your fellow loyalty practitioners.

Our expert facilitator, COLLOQUY Research Director Jeff Berry, will explore the worlds of retail and financial services during this interactive 2-day certification course. You’ll work to maximize ROI with our innovative loyalty strategy simulation through a new and enjoyable training experience.

We guarantee you’ll leave with the skills and techniques to develop a loyalty strategy that recognizes and rewards your best customers—whether you’re a key player in an existing program, optimizing your existing proprietary program, or considering which loyalty strategy is right for your company.

Since 1999, over 1,000 executives have attended and profited from DMA and COLLOQUY partner workshops. You get the combined strengths and training leadership of two outstanding organizations.

News Releases

Do you cringe at the idea of paying a fee to join a customer loyalty program? Chances are you’re not a millennial.

A LoyaltyOne nationwide survey of 1,005 consumers in May 2015 reveals that millennials ages 18-35 scored significantly higher than any other population segment for being open-minded about investing in a loyalty program membership.

62% of respondents said they’d consider joining a fee-based rewards program if their favorite retailer offered one.

This number was even higher among millennials with 75% of 18-24 year-olds and 77% of 25-34 year-olds saying they’d consider joining a fee-based rewards program.

65% said customer rewards are worth paying for if relevant to their needs.

Millennials, again, rated this even higher with 79% of 18-24 year-olds and 76% of 25-34 year-olds saying relevant rewards are worth paying for.

Nearly half (47%) said rewards in fee-based programs are better than rewards in free programs

A significantly larger number of millennials - 61% of 18-24 year-olds and 54% of 25-34 year-olds – said fee-based rewards are better.

The survey results emerge against a backdrop of high-profile marketplace developments. Earlier this month Walmart disclosed details of its new $50 per year fee-based delivery program called ‘Shipping Pass,’ which is widely viewed as a challenge to Amazon Prime with its $99 per year fee. Jet.com is another emerging membership-based shopping club promising low prices at a $49.99 fee.

“These results should attract the attention of brands considering a shift to fee-based loyalty programs as marketers look for ways to create competitive differences and lock in customer spend against a backdrop of waning program effectiveness and engagement challenges,” LoyaltyOne Consulting Associate Partner Lance Du Chateau said.

Reinforcing the point, Du Chateau noted the survey found that 49% of overall respondents said all rewards programs seem alike. The perception of program sameness was even stronger among millennials, where the scores were 57% for 18-24 year-olds and 52% for 25-34 year-olds.

“Brands have historically hesitated to explore new loyalty strategies because traditional programs were still novel in most spaces. However this hasn’t been true for years. The perception that only a small minority shoppers will ‘pay to play’ is also a dated viewpoint,” outlined Du Chateau. “42% of consumers surveyed have already paid to join a program and 62% of respondents said they’d consider joining a fee-based rewards program if their favorite retailer offered one.”

Other key findings from LoyaltyOne’s research:

Of the respondents who already participate in fee-based loyalty programs, 69% said they were enticed by free shipping, followed closely by special discounts at 67%

Women (67%) are slightly stronger than men (64%) in their belief that rewards are worth paying for

When asked which category would be most appealing if compelling benefits were available through a fee-based program, respondents ranked Grocery and Mass merchandise highest (35%), followed by Credit Card rewards (26%), Specialty Retail (13%), Travel (18%) and Restaurants (9%)

32% of 18-24 year-olds and 34% of 25-34 year-olds said they have never been offered membership in a fee-based program, versus 25% of the general population.

“The traditional spend-earn-redeem reward program doesn’t make sense for all companies and customers, and fee-based value propositions increasingly are a topic of conversation,” Du Chateau said. “More marketers should explore this approach.”

The AIR MILES Reward Program, Canada's premier coalition loyalty program and Live Nation Canada, the country's leading live entertainment company, announce a new partnership and program offering that introduces a suite of benefits to Collectors: AIR MILES® Stage Pass (http://www.airmilesstagepass.com).

AIR MILES Collectors across Canada will benefit in a variety of ways, including: the ability to use their Dream Miles for tickets to some of the hottest concerts across Canada, receive discounts and perks at select shows, win VIP and exclusive experiences, and more.

"Canadians love music, and we are thrilled to be able to make live music even more accessible to Collectors by giving them the opportunity to experience it in a new way," said Rachel MacQueen, Vice President, Marketing, AIR MILES Reward Program. "At AIR MILES, we are committed to delivering exceptional experiences to our Collectors that are unique and memorable. Live Nation is an ideal partner to help us deliver on that promise."

"We are excited to partner with the AIR MILES Reward Program," said John May, President - Live Nation Ontario & EVP Corporate Partnerships. "This partnership will bring excellent concert access to music fans across the country."

To celebrate the launch of this announcement, AIR MILES and Live Nation brought Juno award-winners, Arkells, to Toronto for an interactive music experience. On June 16, the Arkells toured parts of the downtown core from atop a double-decker bus, all while performing their biggest hits along the way. The band also stopped at various locations to greet fans. This experience was the first of what Canadians can expect between AIR MILES and Live Nation that will bring Collectors closer to the best live music from coast-to-coast.

About the AIR MILES Reward Program:Founded in 1992, the AIR MILES Reward Program is Canada's premier coalition loyalty program with more than 10 million active Collector accounts, representing approximately two-thirds of all Canadian households. The AIR MILES Reward Program allows Collectors to earn reward miles simply by doing their everyday shopping at more than 240 leading brand-name Sponsors, representing thousands of retail and service locations across Canada and leading global brands online. The AIR MILES Reward Program also allows Collectors to indulge in more than 1,200 leisure, entertainment, merchandise, travel and a range of accredited, environmentally-friendly lifestyle rewards. With AIR MILES Cash, Collectors can also have the flexibility to instantly redeem their AIR MILES reward miles in-store towards many every day and high value purchases like gas, grocery, drug store items and home improvement purchases at participating Sponsors.

About Live Nation EntertainmentLive Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world's leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, Live Nation Media & Sponsorship and Artist Nation Management. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.

Eighty per cent of US shoppers choose their primary grocery store based on everyday prices, with the two thirds (65%) stating that the everyday prices of staple items most influence their price perception of a grocery retailer, according to new research by Precima, a leading data analytics solutions provider, which was presented at the 2015 Food Institute Marketing Conference in Chicago.

In a Learning Lounge session titled, The Future of Customer Centric Grocery Retailing is Now, Graeme McVie, Vice President & General Manager of Business Development at Precima, revealed how important price is for shoppers, what most drives price perception, and the perception versus reality of how many prices shoppers actually remember. McVie presented alongside Tim Hehenkamp, General Manager Customer Insights & Analytics at Jumbo Supermarkten, a leading EDLP grocer in the Netherlands.

In addition to an online consumer survey, Precima completed an in-person intercept survey with 70 shoppers in Chicago who had just exited out of an EDLP, Hi-Lo or High-end grocer with a grocery purchase. When asked how many items in their basket they could remember the prices of, on average shoppers reported being able to name 12 items. However in reality, they could only accurately recall the prices of 2 items among everything they purchased.

“Our survey revealed that 75% of shoppers remember how much they typically spend on an average grocery shop, however shoppers can only remember the exact prices of a small handful of items. This leads us to believe that grocers need understand at a granular level where customers are purchasing mainly on the basis of price to ensure they can achieve their desired perception of value in the market,” said McVie.

Other key findings include:

8 in 10 (81%) of American grocery shoppers shop for groceries every week

70% have shopped at their primary grocery store for more than five years

Everyday/regular prices of staple items (e.g., milk, eggs) is the most important factor in driving price perception (65%), followed by the average spend/bill each time they shop at the store (59%) and the products they shop for that have the lowest prices (58%).

“This research indicates there is a considerable opportunity for U.S. supermarket retailers to more tightly align their pricing with the needs and demands of the shopper and to consider the value perception they are looking to build while doing so. With the heightened sensitivity to price in today’s marketplace, grocers need to strategically invest in lower prices where it matters most to customers, ensure they communicate their pricing strategy to target customers through price-focused marketing, and allocate trade funds wisely to get promotional focus right,” commented McVie.

Also in the FMI Connect session, Hehenkamp shared the approach that Jumbo is taking by pursuing customer centricity through the company’s merchandising decisions. Jumbo uses Precima solutions to better understand its customers and incorporate these insights into key business decisions to enrich the shopper experience for its customers.

For more information, or to arrange an interview with a Precima expert, please contact: